In the Sixteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich writes: The place that Jesus takes in our soul he shall never leave it without end, as to my sight, for in us is his homeliest home and his endless dwelling. And in this he showed the delight that he has in the making of the human soul. For as well as the father might make a creature, and as well as the son knew how to make a creature, so well would the holy ghost ordain that the human soul be made. And so it was done. And therefore the blessed trinity rejoices without end in the making of the soul, for [God] saw without b ..read more

In the Thirteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich was taught by Christ about sin and suffering: “It is true that sin is the cause of all this pain, but alle shalle be wele, and all manner of thing shalle be wele. These words were shown full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me, nor to none that shalle be saved. Then it would be a great unkindness of me to blame or wonder at God for my sin, since he blames me not for sin.” Here Julian introduces a theme that will reverberate throughout her text. While she never denies or mitigates human responsibility for sin, she also ..read more

In the Second Revelation, Julian of Norwich describes how she saw Christ on the cross: And after this, I saw with bodily sight in the face of the crucifix that hung before me, in which I beheld continually a part of his passion: contempt, spitting, soiling, and buffeting, and many languring [exhausting] pains, more than I can tell, and often changing of color. And one time I saw how half the face, beginning at the ear, was spread over with dried blood till it beclosed the middle of his face. And after that the other half was beclosed in the same way, and thereafter it ..read more

IN THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION, JULIAN OF NORWICH WROTE: But he wills we take heed thus: that he is the ground of all our whole life in love, he is our everlasting keeper [protector], and mightily defends us against all our enemies that are extremely dangerous and terribly fierce towards us. And our mede [reward] is so much greater if we give him occasion [to love and heal us] by our falling. This theme of Christ as “the ground of our whole life in love” colors and highlights every aspect of Julian’s theology. Christ is not the unapproachable “other,” the distant God-ma ..read more

Over the years, Julian of Norwich received additional illuminations about three characteristics of God, which were shown in all the Revelations: life, love, and light. By life, she understood God’s “marvelous homeliness” or intimacy in the very ground of our being; by love, God’s “gentle courtesy” and unceasing care for souls; and by light, God’s “eternal being,” which never changes in its attitude toward us. She also marveled at the fact that our faculty of reason functions within God and that it “is the highest gift that we have received, and it is grounded ..read more

In her exquisite teachings on Prayer, Julian of Norwich stresses The Prayer of Thanksgiving. This is “a true, inward knowing, with great reverence and lovely dread,” whereby we dedicate all our energies to the good work that the Lord directs us to do, “rejoicing and thanking inwardly." Julian reveals that sometimes this prayer of thanksgiving is so overwhelming that it breaks out in full voice saying: “Good lord, grant mercy, blessed may thou be!” And at other times, when the heart feels dry and empty, or else is undergoing temptations, then prayer “is driven by reason and ..read more

In the Fifth Revelation, Julian of Norwich hears Christ speak directly to her in distinct, interior words: “Then he, without voice and opening of lips, formed in my soul these words: ‘Herewith is the fiend overcome.’” The precise words Julian hears within her soul (“Herewith is the fiend overcome”) give voice to the vision of the outpouring of blood she sees before her, by which the power of Satan is forever vanquished. These particular words do not appear in the synoptic gospel accounts of the seven last words of Christ from the cross. They are directed specifically to Julian a ..read more

​How can we know if the experience of a vision is genuine . . . or the product of an unbalanced mind? Though “tests” may not categorically prove anything to a particular individual, it may be helpful to consider the various aspects of extraordinary experience frequently used to establish the authenticity of a vision or locution. First, the authentic vision arrives suddenly and unbidden, without human effort or contrivance. It is immediately experienced as proceeding from a superior source. It carries the weight of divine authority. Sometimes by means of sight and/or sound the mystic is given a ..read more

In the Fourteenth Revelation, Julian of Norwich writes about the continuous work of divine mercy: But our good lord the holy ghost, who is endless life dwelling in our soul, full securely keeps us, and works therein a peace, and brings it to ease through grace, and makes it obedient, and reconciles it with God. And this is the mercy and the way in which our good lord continually leads us, as long as we are in this life which is changeable. At this point in her Revelations, Julian has just clarified that God’s mercy is not a divine “change of heart” from fury, nor even a gracious act ..read more

In the Twelfth Revelation, Julian of Norwich writes: Oftentimes our lord Jesus said: I it am, I it am. I it am that is highest. I it am that thou lovest. I it am that thou likest. I it am that thou servest. I it am that thou longest for. I it am that thou desirest. I it am that thou meanest. I it am that is all. I it am that holy church preacheth to thee and teacheth thee. I it am that shewed myself before to thee.” This litany of holy names that Christ pours out of his glory in this revelation to Julian, not once, but “oftentimes,” evokes an endless stream of ways in which he is present ..read more